Suction-filter.



I PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906. RARGALL. SUCTION FILTER. APPLICATIONYFILFD MARJ, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

5 uc-njop attorney 98 1' memo m J QQW PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

' P. ARGALL.

SUCTION FILTER.

v APPLICATION FILED MAB..2, 1906.

8 SHEBTS-SHEBT 2.

Q NR

ww n d Mm It a $5 noenlfox;

witnesses v I PATENTED JUNE 5-, 1906.

P. ABGALL. SUCTION FILTER. APPLICATION FILED MA'R.2, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

4 2o thes'limes and drawnthrought e 4 5 all of which has led to UNITED STATES PATENT orrron,

I PHILIP jm, ooLoRAno. I SUQCTIOQN-FIL'IE'ER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patente'd. June 5, 1906.

-- Application filed March 2,1906. Serial No. 303,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, PHILIP AReALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver,

' in the,county of Denver and State of C010- '5 rado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suction-Filters, of which the following is a specification. b4

' yinventlon relates to suction-filters, such as are used for various purposes in the arts,

one of which is the extract on of the solvent holding old in solution from the slimes of the ores om which gold is obtained. In the more commonform of suchappara'tus light wooden frames coveredwith canvas or equlv 1 5 alent straining means areimmersed in a tank containing the slimes and old-carrying solutions. Connection from t e interior of such frames is made with.- a suction-pump, by which means the solution is se arated from rous filtering-cover, tobeconveyed tot e proper placefor the recovery of-the-gold while the slime accumulates upon the outside, forming adhering layers or cakes which must be removed when the accumulation becomes too thick anddense to permit of the continuanceof the operation. The usual mode has been to liftthe filters, with their accumulated cakes-of slime, bodily from the tank, im- 0 mersin themin another and weaker solution to disp ace the stron ersolutioniemaining in'the cake, and fin lly using clear'water to dissolve out the last traces of the valuable solutions. The enormous Wei hts to be lift- 3 5 ed and handled, however, an the "constant danger of the displacement. of the slimecakes by gravity and their falling 'ofi before the final extraction has been accomplished renders this mode of procedure hazardous 140 and objectionable, as well as limiting the area of the filters and the thickness of the cakesto the lifting ca acity of the cranes, thus materially curtai' g the-working capacity and the efliciency of the apparatus, several attempts at improvement, My im rovementconsists, primarily, in

' makin tlie filters stationary and the tank movab e and roviding means for returning 5c the-slime to t e-tank continuously until the adhernt'cakes, are completely formed. The fluid slime is then Withdrawn without removmg the filters: or'the tank, and in its place a weak. solution is introduced and. passed through the cakes todisplace the strong solufaces will be carried awayto the dump, which .the' exteriors.

per recelvm tanks', the movable tank, the

tions remaining in the latter, and finall Water is employed to recover the last available traces of gold-bearing solution, as in former processes, but in the same tank. The water is lastly withdrawn, and the tank is removed bodily awa from the gangs of suspended filters, leaving them fully exposed. Water is then passed reversely'throu h the filters to.

{release the accumulations of slime from their adhesions, though air may be used instead of 6 5 water if the slimes are re uired' in a dry state,

-' and the slimesare caug t by suitable hop ers asthe cakes slide ofl from the filter-suraces, whence they are removed by a conveyer. or other appropriate means to the wastedump. By this process any rich slime which may remain attached to the sides and corners of the tank will not be lost, and

only the exhausted slimes from the filter-sursurfaces can be made as thorou hly clean of obstructive matter as desired y sufficient washings from the filter interiors and upon When the filters are cleaned and inspected, the tank is replaced, and the operation-is repeated. v In the drawings forming a part of this spe'cifioatiomFigure l'is a side view of the apparatus, partly in section, showing the up- 5 suspended ter-frames'in fixed position, the receiving-hoppers and convey'er beneath, the

'circulatory'system' for slimes' and solution,

and the slimeereleasing means. Fig 2 is an end view showing the movable tank, the fixed head, and the means for anchoring the former to the ,latter. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing-the movable tank, the filter-frames in osition, the receiving-hoppers, and the en ess conveyer. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the manner of suspending the filten frames and the supporting suction and drainage pipes, also the pipe connections for introduclng slime over and among the filter-surfaces and water into their interiors. Fi 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5 of ig.

- 1, of the end of the movable tank secured in position against the fixed head. 5 is a detail view of the swivel-nut employed in the S device for locking the tank end to the fixed 'hsad. Fig.6 is a detail view of one of the filter-frames. v construction of the slime-delivery pipe. "Fig.

Fig. 6 shows in section the '7 is a yertical transverse sectional view oil-fro IOO line 7 7 of Fig. 6., showing the referredcon- .struction of the filter-frame. i 8 is a detail view of a portion of the movable tank. 7

10 re resents the filter-frames in series sup- 5 ported y'suspensory rods llon I-beams 12,

which rest on suitable masonry walls 13, said walls having offsets or ledges 14 sustaining the trackways 15, on which the wheels 16 of the movable tank run;

I 17 is the movable tank, inclosing the filterframes when in position, and 18 is a fixed head 'to which the tank 17 is securely anchored. v 19 is a connection to a hydraulic cylinder or other suitable mechanical appliance for moving the heavy tank to and fro. The fixed headlS is firmly held in place by means of transverse I-beams 21, secured in the masonry'walls 13. 2o ,21' represents bell-crank levers carrying swing hook-bolts 22 for drawing and holdin firmly in place the tank end to the fixedhead 18, by means of flanges23 on the tank end for that purpose. Between said flanges and the 25 fixed head 18 I interp'ose packing-strips 9,

referably of soft rubber, to secure a tight oint." The fixed head 18 is slotted, as. at 24, to permit the hook-bolts 22 to swing into place; The levers 21 are mounted on the 5 rear of the fixed head and are operated by means of. a hand-wheel 25 and shaft 26, having right and left screws 27 on its extremities engaging nuts 28, swiveled in the ends of levers 2 r 5 The bottom 29 of the tank 17 is made hopper -.shaped in one onm'ore divisions with slopes both ways sufiicient to afford. free movement to the slimes, which are discharged through an exit pipe 30 into a re- 0 ceiver31, whence they can be raised and circulated by suitable means, for which purpose lshowja hydraulic lifting device 32and pipe 33, leading to tank 34 and also to tanks 35 and 36, which are for weak gold solution' 'and 51;for water, respectively. All thesaid tanks are connected. with suitable cut-off valves'37 38 39 to pipe 50, leading by branches 51 to the spaces between the filter-frames 10 in tank 17. Suitable valves 52 53 54 are also go jprovided on pipe 33 to regulate admission of ."the. circulatory fluids to their res ective tanks. vPipes 51 turn at a right ang e horizontally at the entrances between the filterframes and are slotted beneath, as shown in 5 Fig. 6 to facilitate the equal distribution of the fluid matters sent between the filterframes.

' The filter-frames 10, as beforesaid, are

' suspended from theI-beams 12 by means of.

60 suspensory rods '11, which are secured to the suction and drainage pipes 55,' of which there are preferably two to each basket of filters, attached'to the latter in the manner shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7 'I prefer to gglocate these suction-pipes at the bottom of i the filter-frames instead of at the top, as they can thus serve" for complete drainage, and the passage of the solutions is also facilitated by gravity. ater-supply pipes 56, two to each basket of filters, run longitudinally above the filter-frames and connect with the latter by branch pipes 57 the water-supply being controlled by a valve 58. The suction-pipes lead to a suction-pump 59 and have a regulating-valve 60 to shut off the suction when it becomes necessary to wash or displace the cakes from the filters by sendin water or air through pipes 56 57. This va ve is preferably a-two-way cock to permit of the draina e of the filter-frames without the passage 0% the liquid through the pum The suction-pump sends the solutions wit drawn from the filter-frames 10 to their ap propriatedesti-nationthroughoutlet 75. Pi e 61, controlled by valve 62, isthe steam-in etto the operating-cylinder of the pump. While filtration is in progress and cakes are forming, the suction-pump runs continuously, and the solutions are-sucked through the filters into the pump 59, and thence delivered where required through outlet 75.

Beneath the filter frames is located the hopper 63, one or more; for the reception of the dumped slimes after separation of the same from the filter-frames. An endless conveyer-belt 64 of suitable construction is provided to convey away the dumps discharged from said hoppers; As shown, it

v has the usual raisedfiangesfat the edges and is sustained on idler-rollers 40.

The filter-frames 10 .may be of any approved construction known in this art, of

which there-are many. Those I have used for illustration are made as shown in Figs. 6

and 7, where 65- represents metallic spacingv ribs, affording due clearance to the interiors.

To these are secured at top and bottom the gutters 6.6 67, a ertured to make suitable connections wit water-supply pipes 57 above andsuction-pipes'55 below. 66 is a Washer, of soft rubber ,or other suitable material, which sustains the. weight of the filter frameand forms a tight joint at that point. Upon the ribs 65 are secured, preferably by light -rivets, the perforated or foraminous l/ates 6'9, theribs 65 being so spaced as to orm an'efficient'protection against collapse of said plates under the powerful suction of the pump 59. Over the said perforated plates-369 are laid, sheets of canvas or other suitable porous textile fabric 70, and these are-secured to ribs 65,.prefgirably by light metallic strips 71 fastened to the ribs by a few bolts to prevent the textile coverin from bulging outward under pressure of t e l iq" uid forced. into theframes through pipes 57..

' The tank 17, of which a. partial view .is shown in Fig. 8, is strengthened on the end bysiX-inch angle-irons, formingthe flange'23 before referred to, and bya lighter angle-iron head by means of the swing hook-bolts 22,

I levers 21, and hand-wheel 25. Thevalve 37 is then opened and rich slime from tank 34 is permitted to flow 'down through pipe 50 and pipes 51 over tion of gravityin atank inwhich the contents j ceptac e 31.

ranches 51 between the filter-frames, soas to suffuse their surfaces as the slime flows. downward until tank 17 is filled to the-topof the filter-frames. Meantime the suction a paratus is put in motion, extracting thego d solution from the slime in contact with the porous surfaces, depleting itand'rendering it thicker. The valve 30 isnow opened per mittin a stream of slime to flow into t e re- The'lifting apparatus 32- then" being set in motion,=lthe -s' through pipe 33 to tank 34', whence it again descends. in continuouscirculation throu h and between the surfaces of t e filter-frames, the suction process meantime drawing and holdin a part'of the slime onthe filter-surfaces, w le the solution is drawn through the filtering medium and the cakes of stiff slime accumulate on the filter surfaces.

The maintenance of'the circulationanddistribution prevents the cakes'from .forming unevenly, as they would do under the operadid not circulate. When the cakes are fully formed on the filter surfaces, the supply of slime is cut oil, tank 17 is emptied, and a weak solution-is sentfrom tank 35- intosaid tank 17, filling up the latter to penetrate the cakes and thereby displace the stronger so:

lutien lodged therein. After a suitable time for thedisplacement to occur, the contents of tank 17 are again discharged into the receptacle 31 and returned by the elevating means 32 to tank 35. 'This having beenaccomplished, valve 30 is clo'sedand clear water is adm'ittedto tank 17fromtank 36 to be passed through the slime-cakes and so recover. thelast available traces of the gold solutions-remaining therein. Finally, the waterintank' 17 is drained off through valve 30 and returned to tank36 and the hydraulic lift apparatus is stopped. The slime-cakes on: the filtersuriaces being now made as free as possible of gold solution, it becomes necessary to be rid of them, and this is accomplished by omfixed first releasing the swing-bolts 22 head 18,'runnin'g back the empty .tank {17 from the vicinity of the filter-frames so as to expose them, cutting off connection with the suction apparatus by closing valve 60 and admitting water through branch pipes 57 to the ime isforced up ter-frame,

interiors of the filter-frames, whereby the from the filter-surfaces and readily slide off into hoppers 63 to be removed by conveyer 64 to the waste-dump. The water is drained from the filter-frames through pipe 55 and two-way cook 60. The filter-frames are severally cleansed and inspected and repaired it necessary, when all is ready for a repetition v of the operation.

I claim and desire ent 1. In suction-filters, a stationary filter frame, with fixed inlet and outlet-pipe conovable tank inclos ing said filter-frame but removable therefrom at will, substantially as specified.

-2. In suction filters", fixed filter-frames,

with outlet ipe-connections at bottom, giving gravity ow from the interior of said filterframes, and inlet-pipe connections at top, in combination with a movable tank adapted to inclose said filter-frames or be moved away therefrom at will, substantially as specified.

ports, outlet-pipe connections to each filterframe at bottom, inlet-pipe connections t9 each filter-frame at top, fiuid-supply pipe connections to the spaces between the filterframes, and a tank inclosing said filteri'rames when in working position, but remov- 4. In suction-filters, a fixed filter frame with porous sides, an inlet-pipe at top and an outlet-pipe at bottom of said filter-frame, a suction apparatus-connected with said outlet-pipe, a removable tank inclosing said filmeans for filling said tank, and means for emptying said tank, substantially as specified.

5. In suction filters, a fixed filter-frame to secure by Letters Pat.

3. In suction-filters, a sericsof stationary. filter-frames suspended from suitable sup able therefrom at will, substantially as speciwith porous sides, an inlet-pipe at topand an outlet-pipe at bottom of said filter'-frame,a suction apparatus connected with said outlet-pipe,- a removable tank inclosing said fil ter-frame, a discharge-pipe from said tank, a

receptacle for the fluid contents of said tank, fixed tanks for containing slimes, solution and water respectively, circulatory apparatusbetween'said receptacle and said fixed tanks respectively, with means for connecting with either tank at will, pipe connections leading from said fixed tanks respectively to said movable tank, and a receiver for waste contents from the movable tank, sub stantiallyas specified.

6.- In suction-filters, a movable tank with an open end, a fixed head for closing said IIO open end, with locking means for securing I the closure, filter-frames fixed in position to be inclosed by said movable tank and fixed head, fixedtanks for containing fluids, with controllable outlets discharging respectively therefrom into said movable tank, a dis- 1- 0 x filter-frames, with inlet charge pipe and valve for said movable tank,

fixed tanks respectively, ception of waste-dumps charge-pipe from said movable tank, a circulatory apparatus between said movable tank and sai fixed tanks, means for filling and emptying said filter-frames, and'a suction a paratus connected respectively with said ii ter-frames, substantially as specified.

7. In suction-filters, a gen of fixed filterframes having porous sides, in et-pipes at top of said filter-lrames resp ectivcly, outlet-pipes at bottom of'said filtcr frames respectively, a'suction apparatus connected with said outlet-pipes, fixed tanks for containing slimes, solution an d water respectively, pipe connections leading from said fixed tanks respcctively to the interspaces between said filterframes, a movable tank inclosing said filterframes, but removable therefrom, a disa receptacle for the contents discharged through said discharge-pipe, a h draulic apparatus between said receptacle and said a hopper for the refrom the filter-frame surfaces, and means for car away said dumps, substantially as specified 8.- In suction-filters, a series of stationary. and outlet pipe connections, a removable tank inolosing saidfiltar-frames, means for filling and emptying said tank, a receptacle for the fluid contents of the movable tank, a series of fixed elevated aaaai 'tanks, mechanism for circulating the-fluids treated between said movable tank and said ter-frames and abutting by its open endv against said fixed head, means for securing the tank end to the fixed head, means for fill I ing said tank, and a discharge-pipe for said tank, substantially as specified. 10, In suction-filters, a-series of fixed-filtar-frames, With fixed inlet-pipe connections at top and fixed outlet-pipeconnections at the bottom, a 'sucticn-pumpconnected to said outlet-pipe connections, a movable tank 'inclosing said filter-frames, means for filling said tank, a receptacle for thecontents of said tank, and mechanism for circulating the contents of said tank between said receptacle and said tank, substantiallly as specified. In testimony whereot 'two subscribingwitnesses. I

' PHILIP AR GALL.

Witnesses:

JAMEs A MoCLURG, L. R. Scor'r.

, s5 i p have s gned my; ,name to th s specificatlon n the presence of 

